The silvery-gray river of time was magnificent and mesmerizing.

  It wound through the dark Void Heaven, forming a barrier for the Five Phoenixes.

  Inside and outside the river, the scenes were worlds apart.

  Outside: the experts of Blood Evil Heaven, Pingyang Heaven, and Yuan Magnetic Heaven were alive and vigorous.

  Inside: only withered bones remained.

  The scene was cruel and spine-chilling.

  Compared to the blood flowers that bloomed when Lu Fan first placed his pieces, the slaughter by the river of time seemed peaceful and beautiful.

  Yet within that beauty lurked bone-deep terror.

  The profound power of time!

  In the Void Heaven, bones littered the ground.

  Of the million-strong coalition that had charged in, countless had died.

  Lu Fan’s sudden expansion of the river of time had caught them off guard, enveloping countless experts in helpless terror.

  The river flowed quietly. Corpses rose and sank.

  Many decayed corpses still reached out, faces frozen in fear and despair.

  War was always cruel.

  At the border between Pingyang Heaven and the Void Heaven, experts raged.

  The ancient warships of the Upper Realm and the noble in the luxurious chariot remained silent.

  But the killing intent leaking from the warships revealed their stance.

  The Great Venerable of the Little Thunderclap Buddha World did not act. He watched silently, palms pressed together, sighing.

  He was somewhat surprised. He had not expected Lu Fan to achieve this.

  With the river of time and that mysterious chessboard, he had easily blocked a million troops.

  No wonder he could suppress an Ascended Immortal envoy.

  But…

  That was all.

  After all, the envoy had merely been an Ascended Immortal—one of low status in the Upper Realm.

  At least compared to the noble in the chariot pulled by five true-dragon-blood dragon-horses, the difference was heaven and earth.

  In the Great Venerable’s view, everything Lu Fan did for the Five Phoenixes was merely a desperate last stand.

  BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

  Compared to the chaotic, panicked retreat of the coalition, the Upper Realm army remained calm and disciplined.

  Even after losing ten thousand infantry in an instant, they showed no change in expression.

  They simply withdrew in orderly fashion as the river of time expanded.

  Finally, the river stopped expanding.

  The remaining ninety thousand troops halted instantly, standing unmoved in the void.

  At the border between Pingyang Heaven and the Void Heaven—

  Terrifying auras shot skyward.

  “Victory?!”

  “Celebrating so soon?”

  “What are you celebrating?!”

  A furious roar rang out.

  At the edge of the Void Heaven, a figure seemed to tower like a mountain, like an ancient god or demon, gazing at the Five Phoenixes.

  His sharp, brilliant eyes were like stars in the night—blindingly bright.

  His aura was extremely powerful—an old Ascended Immortal from the Upper Realm, and among Ascended Immortals, a top-tier one.

  He wore armor that reflected radiant light.

  He drew a bow—a golden bow forged as if from molten gold, overflowing with light, its body like two living divine dragons.

  Creak… creak…

  The bowstring was drawn taut.

  An arrow pointed across the Void Heaven at Lu Fan seated on Lakeheart Island.

  “One arrow to slay the madman!”

  He released.

  The arrow shot forth.

  His words thundered like rolling thunder. The arrow howled like a starving wolf diving into the Void Heaven.

  The arrow aimed straight at Lu Fan.

  The laws rang like bells, clear and crisp.

  Each law became a sharp blade, ready to slash!

  Lu Fan sat calmly in White Jade Capital’s tower, leaning on the Thousand-Blade Chair.

  His pupils reflected the arrow.

  Whoosh!

  The sharp arrow ignored the clanging laws and plunged into the river of time.

  The river exploded into towering waves.

  Yet the arrow’s momentum was unstoppable.

  It soon shot out the other side, continuing toward Lu Fan.

  Lu Fan’s eyes flickered.

  Then, with calm ease, he raised his hand and lightly pinched the arrow.

  It turned to ash and scattered.

  “Nothing special.”

  Lu Fan said.

  Hmm?

  Beyond the Void Heaven, the expert narrowed his eyes, uncertainty flashing within.

  Even weakened by the river of time, his arrow should not have been caught so easily.

  So this Lu Ping’an… at least had Ascended Immortal strength!

  After countless ages, the Void Heaven—abandoned by the Upper Realm—had actually produced such an expert.

  But he was still puzzled.

  In recent centuries, even millennia, no one in the Void Heaven had transcended an Ascended Immortal tribulation.

  How had an Ascended Immortal appeared out of nowhere?

  But in this battle—he must die!

  “Arrogant!”

  The expert cursed.

  Then turned and bowed slightly toward the luxurious chariot pulled by five dragon-horses.

  “Go.”

  A calm voice drifted from the chariot.

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  As if casually sentencing Lu Fan to death.

  “Yes!”

  Then—like the collapse of the world.

  The expert stepped into the Void Heaven.

  As he did, the laws within seemed to boil instantly.

  Countless law-blades slashed down.

  But a treasure above his head glowed, shielding him from the laws’ power.

  Ascended Immortals could use treasures to resist the laws and enter the Five Phoenixes.

  The stronger one was, the greater the pressure from the laws.

  Beyond Ascended Immortal—even with treasures, one would be crushed by the laws.

  He strode through the void like a god or demon.

  The ninety thousand Upper Realm troops parted, making way.

  He shot forth like a comet.

  Facing the terrifying river of time, he did not dodge.

  He charged straight in.

  BOOM!

  He crashed into the river. Ascended Immortal power unleashed to its limit.

  His armor decayed, but with powerful life force, he resisted time’s corrosion!

  He burst out the other side, eyes blazing.

  “As expected, you are no Ancient Emperor. Even if you can wield the ‘Lin’ array rune to control time—so what?”

  “Nothing special.”

  The Ascended Immortal laughed coldly.

  His aura had weakened, his flesh slightly withered, but he still possessed Ascended Immortal power.

  He stepped toward the Five Phoenixes, toward the blood-colored battlefield.

  On the Five Phoenixes’ side, faces changed.

  But Lu Fan remained calm, even smiling faintly.

  “You have courage.”

  Lu Fan said.

  Then he leaned on the railing, white robes fluttering in the wind.

  He rolled up his sleeve and picked up a piece from the box.

  He held the piece, pointing at the Ascended Immortal.

  Then slowly moved it horizontally above the board.

  “So arrogant… Watch me blow you apart!”

  The expert said coldly.

  His body accelerated, like a comet crashing toward the Five Phoenixes.

  Terrifying pressure bore down, making every Five Phoenixes cultivator inhale sharply.

  “Hahahaha…”

  Lu Fan laughed.

  His laughter rang through heaven and earth.

  He slowly lowered the piece, closer and closer to the board.

  PFFT!

  The powerful Ascended Immortal streaked like a comet.

  But as he did, his body gradually bent, kneeling under the pressure.

  As if kneeling with the falling piece!

  Finally—

  Lu Fan placed the piece.

  Plop!

  The sound of the piece landing was like a heart exploding.

  PFFT!

  The Ascended Immortal instantly coughed blood—mixed with shattered organs.

  His pupils shrank!

  Like thunder from a clear sky, like a calm sea suddenly erupting into a heaven-shaking wave.

  He suddenly felt terrifying pressure ready to flatten him!

  He could no longer resist.

  He knelt in the sky.

  Knees slammed into the void, sliding through the Void Heaven.

  The comet’s light faded.

  Seeing this—

  The world fell utterly silent.

  Experts from Blood Evil Heaven, Pingyang Heaven, and Yuan Magnetic Heaven breathed rapidly.

  “This…”

  This Ascended Immortal was from the Upper Realm!

  Far stronger than the previous envoy who hosted the tournament!

  Yet he, representing the Upper Realm’s face, knelt before Lu Fan.

  What humiliation!

  But more than that—shock!

  Shock at Lu Fan’s strength.

  “This Saint Lord of the Five Phoenixes… what is his true power?”

  Many Sixth-grade sacred ground Ascended Immortals spoke uncertainly.

  Before, they could guess Lu Fan’s strength.

  Now—they could not.

  This Ascended Immortal who had charged into the Void Heaven had come from the Upper Realm. His mere aura had triggered countless law-blades.

  Even weakened by the river of time and suppressed by the Void Heaven—

  He should not have been suppressed so easily, forced to kneel!

  Lu Fan laughed freely.

  He raised his hand. Wine sloshed in his bronze cup.

  Quite carefree, like “drink today while we have wine.”

  He laughed and drank plum wine.

  Then slapped out a palm.

  “Good boy.”

  BOOM!

  Spiritual qi formed a giant palm, patting the kneeling Ascended Immortal’s head.

  Immortal pats your crown?

  PFFT!

  Unfortunately, no longevity was granted…

  The Ascended Immortal’s head was smashed!

  His primordial spirit shot out, filled with shock and fury.

  But Lu Fan’s spiritual qi palm seized the spirit, dragging it toward the Five Phoenixes.

  “Since you came, don’t leave.”

  The Ascended Immortal’s primordial spirit radiated shock and terror.

  It gradually turned into a mountain-sized statue.

  BOOM!

  The statue crashed into the vast sea, kneeling—becoming an opportunity for the Five Phoenixes’ beings.

  An Ascended Immortal statue was far more precious than a normal Grand Ability one.

  It could better help Five Phoenixes cultivators comprehend primordial spirits.

  This scene stunned everyone.

  Gasps of horror rang endlessly.

  The ancient warships and luxurious chariot were silent, but the void around them constantly collapsed.

  They had not expected Lu Fan to be so domineering, so ferocious.

  But even more unbelievable—

  Lu Fan sat in the Thousand-Blade Chair, cup in hand, looking at them with a half-smile.

  “If you have the guts… come.”

  Blatant provocation!

  Naked provocation!

  The river of time flowed quietly. Law-blades filled the Void Heaven.

  These experts truly hesitated.

  The atmosphere turned awkward and strange.

  Those beyond Ascended Immortal feared the laws and dared not enter.

  Even top Ascended Immortals could resist the laws but dared not step in—the corpse of the one who had knelt before Lu Fan was still warm.

  The Five Phoenixes cultivators flushed red.

  Relief surged in their chests.

  So satisfying!

  This was White Jade Capital. This was their Young Master Lu!

  One man holding the pass—ten thousand cannot pass!

  If you have the guts, come!

  So brazen and domineering.

  Qi Liujia watched in a daze, blood boiling.

  He had never imagined someone daring to face Upper Realm experts like this.

  “Heh…”

  Suddenly, the world fell silent.

  From the chariot pulled by true-dragon-blood dragon-horses, a voice drifted out.

  The noble within.

  “The Void Heaven has produced quite a character.”

  “Pity… you think hiding in the Void Heaven makes you safe?”

  The faint laughter carried mockery and indifference.

  As if Lu Fan were just a jumping cricket in his eyes.

  Able to jump for a moment—able to jump forever?

  “You wait…”

  The sneering voice held no great rage—only pity.

  The pity of an ant unaware of its fate, still smug.

  Instantly—

  The battle stopped.

  It fell into a strange state.

  The ninety thousand Upper Realm troops stood quietly, bronze masks on, sharp eyes staring at the Five Phoenixes.

  This silence was unsettling.

  Many Unity and Transcendent experts in the Five Phoenixes felt sweat on their foreheads.

  The noble in the chariot was in no hurry, as if waiting for something.

  Young Master Lu on White Jade Capital’s tower remained calm, drinking his wine.

  The river of time flowed, separating the two sides.

  But this was clearly the calm before the storm.

  When the storm passed, a terrifying tempest capable of overturning the Five Phoenixes would surely descend!

  Lu Fan didn’t know what they were waiting for.

  But he wasn’t anxious. Being anxious was useless.

  Soldiers to block, water to dam.

  Hmm?

  Suddenly—

  Lu Fan’s brows raised.

  Lines danced in his eyes. He suddenly sensed a vast aura rising within the Five Phoenixes.

  He seemed to understand what they were waiting for.

  BOOM!

  Suddenly—

  Within the Five Phoenixes—

  Everything trembled. Terrifying energy rippled outward.

  Then, to the world’s shock—an ancient tomb rose from the vast sea. A wordless stele wrapped in massive palaces slowly ascended from the Five Phoenixes!

  Everyone instinctively looked up at the tomb.

  Behind it—a surging sea of blood rolled forth!

  As if the tomb was built atop a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.

  Lu Fan narrowed his eyes.

  He could feel a terrifying, powerful aura awakening within the tomb.

  And it was growing stronger—seemingly about to exceed the Void Heaven’s shackles, yet triggering no law restrictions.

  The tomb had been moved into the Five Phoenixes by Lu Fan. Now, as the being within awakened, the tomb detached from the Five Phoenixes.

  There had to be a reason.

  But Lu Fan quickly understood—the general in the tomb feared the coming battle would shatter mountains, boil seas, and slaughter the Five Phoenixes’ beings!

  Thinking this, Lu Fan raised a brow.

  In other words… the Blood-Robed General believed these Upper Realm experts had a way to ignore the Void Heaven’s laws and kill directly?

  Otherwise, hiding in the Five Phoenixes with the laws as protection, the general should have been unshakable.

  In the moments Lu Fan pondered—

  BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

  The instant the tomb rose from the Five Phoenixes and floated in the sky—

  Beyond the Void Heaven—

  Terrifying auras shot from the ancient warships.

  “This oppressive aura… it truly is the Blood-Robed General Gu Mangran!”

  “Terrifying aura awakening in the tomb! Gu Mangran is about to emerge!”

  “This is what we were waiting for…”

  Cold voices exploded.

  The calm aura in the luxurious chariot began to fluctuate.

  From calm to volcanic rage.

  Experts from Blood Evil Heaven, Pingyang Heaven, and Yuan Magnetic Heaven trembled in terror.

  Some were horrified.

  The name “Blood-Robed” alone was enough to inspire fear.

  From the ancient, luxurious chariot—a cold voice fell.

  “The Blood-Robed seeks to emerge—heaven and earth will not allow it.”

  “The Void Heaven is dead. Why do you emerge, Blood-Robed?!”

  The voice from the luxurious chariot thundered.

  Next—

  From the ancient warships, figures pushed open heavy cabin doors and stepped out.

  BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

  Their auras shot skyward, trailing wisps of immortal qi!

  Their faces shrouded in mist, unseeable!

  Hiss!

  Experts from Blood Evil, Pingyang, and Yuan Magnetic Heavens were horrified!

  These beings from the ancient warships… were beyond Ascended Immortal!

  Pingyang Heaven seemed to collapse. Terrifying auras made all beings tremble and prostrate.

  Even the Great Venerable of the Little Thunderclap Buddha World—Pingyang Heaven’s only Sixth-grade world’s master—bowed in respect.

  This was the Upper Realm.

  Where experts were as numerous as clouds!

  The figures emerging from the Upper Realm’s ancient warships had auras too powerful.

  Their eyes seemed to shoot light, trying to pierce the heavens and see through the tomb.

  Past the countless cities in the blood-sea-tossed tomb—

  They saw…

  A coffin!

  Atop the coffin—a vermilion divine herb swayed in the wind!

  The coffin floating in the blood sea suddenly erupted with blinding light.

  Experts aboard the ancient warships were blinded, tears of blood streaming, but their auras surged with excitement!

  “We see the coffin! A divine herb atop it—the Blood-Robed seeks to revive with it!”

  Voices rolled like thunder.

  Next—

  Every figure from the ancient warships turned toward the luxurious chariot.

  “Please, Divine Son, give the order!”

  Terrifying voices surged, causing Pingyang Heaven to sink.

  From the luxurious chariot, a calm voice drifted out.

  “In the past, the Blood-Robed killed countless of our Sacred Clan. Today—how can we let him revive? He must pay blood for blood and fall forever into the Ninth Hell!”

  “Bring forth the Imperial Weapon!”

  The words fell.

  The beaded curtain of the chariot lifted.

  Revealing a figure seated within, shrouded in purple qi.

  A fiery red three-legged cauldron floated out without smoke or fire.

  The towering figures from the ancient warships suddenly released their auras.

  Light pillars pierced the heavens.

  Three beings beyond Ascended Immortal worked together to carry the three-legged cauldron—one leg each!

  Yet the small cauldron was as heavy as a world.

  BOOM!

  Warships crushed the void.

  Under the experts’ auras, they carried the cauldron, slowly crashing into the Void Heaven.

  Huala la la!

  In the Void Heaven, the laws instantly went berserk.

  Rifts tore across the sky. Law-blades ten thousand zhang long slashed down!

  Yet—

  Facing these laws, the lifeless three-legged cauldron carried by the three beyond-Ascended experts erupted with radiant light.

  Divine fire poured from the cauldron.

  It instantly formed a massive shadow that blotted out the sky, blocking all the laws!

  Next—

  An expert gave the order.

  The ninety thousand Upper Realm troops moved again.

  BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

  Ancient warships crushed forward.

  God-like figures stood atop the heavens. With the Imperial Weapon clearing the path—

  Unstoppable, unblockable—

  They killed into the Void Heaven!